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This enormous gathering of walrus has been spotted off the coast of Alaska, sparking fears that climate change could be to blame.

An estimated 35,000 walrus have been seen five miles north of Point Lay, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It is thought the animals have been forced onto the beach because they cannot find any sea ice to rest on, due to rising temperatures.

Margaret Williams managing director of WWF’s Arctic programme, said: "The massive concentration of walruses onshore - when they should be scattered broadly in ice-covered waters - is just one example of the impacts of climate change on the distribution of marine species in the Arctic.

“The sharp decline of Arctic sea ice over the last decade means major changes for wildlife and communities alike.

"These photos are yet another reminder of the urgent need to ratchet down global greenhouse gas emissions - the main human factor driving massive climate change.”

Unlike seals, walrus cannot swim indefinitely and must rest. They use their tusks to haul themselves onto ice or rocks.

(Photo: Barcroft)

As temperatures warm in summer , the edge of the sea ice recedes north. Females and their young ride the edge of the sea ice into the Chukchi Sea, the body of water north of the Bering Strait.

But in recent years, this edge has eroded even further beyond shallow continental shelf waters and into Arctic Ocean water, where depths exceed two miles and walrus cannot dive to the bottom.